HEALTH | CAMP | MULTIPLE SEX

BUIKWE - The fishing community at Busana landing site, Nyenga sub-county in Buikwe district have been cautioned against multiple sex partners.

“The high prevalence rate of HIV and AIDS at Busana landing site is caused by fishermen who live a reckless lifestyle of drinking alcohol and having multiple sex partners.

This may contribute to the spread of HIV in a way that each of the partners might introduce HIV into the household,” the executive secretary St John Ambulance Uganda, a non-profitable organization, Christine Kasirye Nandyose said.

Nandyose remarked Wednesday (April 5, 2023) during a one-day health camp at Busana landing site.

A mother receives family planning (injector plan) during the health camp at Busana landing site, Nyenga sub-county in Buikwe district. This was on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (All Photos by Douglas Mubiru)

Data from the Ministry of Health shows high HIV prevalence generally at almost all fishing communities along Lake Victoria, averaging 8.3% to 13.7%.

The health camp majorly aims to improve maternal, newborn and child health, support pregnant women and new mothers with advice and information, and left over 800 people given free treatment for various ailments.

Prior to HIV testing and counselling, beneficiaries also received antenatal care, family planning, immunization and malaria treatment, among others.

An elderly inquires from medics during the health camp.

Traditional Birth Attendants

However, Nandyose was happy to observe that expectant mothers have heed to their call to shun Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) to health facilities.

“All along we have been educating this fishing community on the dangers of TBAs and I am happy that records from both government and private health centres are that the number of mothers seeking antenatal has increased, even at giving birth. 

So, we are happy that one of our major goals for these health camps has borne fruits,” stressed Nadyose. 

Some of the expectant mothers who received free maama kits from St John Ambulance medics.

It is important to note that the government banned traditional birth attendants from delivering babies in 2010 in the hope of improving maternal and infant mortality rates. 

But despite ubiquitous free prenatal care in government hospitals, the use of Traditional Birth Attendants continues to be both widespread and popular.

According to the Ministry of Health’s Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Sharpened Plan for Uganda 2016-2020, a skilled birth attendant does still not assist about 416,000 women in the country annually.

In 2021, 80% of women gave birth at health facilities and 20% visited traditional birth attendants.

Some of the pregnant mothers who turned up for antenatal services wait for medics and Maama the free given maama kits.

Health expert warns 

Dr. Joseph Kasirye, who led the medical team at the camp, warned residents against the increase in malaria cases, attributing it to lack of awareness, misuse of bed nets, poverty, and negative attitude towards government programmes such as indoor spraying.

“The free mosquito nets we gave you are not for fishing and neither erecting poultry shelters, nor making garden boundaries to tether livestock,” Kasirye urged the residents at the camp.

He further advised residents to always visit government health centres for medication and not wait for health camps whenever of any illness to avoid health complications.

A medic immunises a child.

Kasirye also appreciated the improvement in which women turned up for family planning and immunising of their children, saying it was to reduce pregnancy-related risks that according to him are prone among the fishing community.

“We are also glad that parents are now willing to bring children for immunization. This will save children's life. Because of advances in medical science, your child can be protected against more diseases than ever before. Some diseases that once injured or killed thousands of children have been eliminated,” Dr Kasirye told parents at the camp whose children were immunised.